Letters: Proposition 32

The U-T editorial for Prop. 32 (“Vote for Prop. 32 to free Sacramento,” utsandiego.com, Oct. 27) posits that the Legislature is held in a “chokehold” by CFT and other public employee unions. Hardly. As a recent study shows, unions are outspent politically in California more than 3-to-1 by corporations.

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What is refreshing about the U-T editorial is the directness of its anti-union bias. This stands in contrast to the deceitful campaign by the pro-Prop. 32 forces, which pretends the measure would control special-interest political spending evenhandedly by making payroll deductions for political contributions illegal for both unions and corporations. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? Except for one thing: That’s how unions collect contributions, and corporations don’t.

Unions advocate on behalf of all working people, not just their own members – for minimum-wage increases, for laws that protect all workers in the workplace. If Prop 32. passes, all workers will lose. Prop. 32 is a sham and should be defeated. – Joshua Pechthalt, president, California Federation of Teachers, Los Angeles

If all things were equal and there was a level playing field, I would support Prop. 32. But, as everyone with a mailbox or a TV knows, more money is being spent this year on political campaigns than ever before. It isn’t the unions that are suddenly spending more dollars to elect right-wing, and especially tea-party-favorite, candidates. Since the heinous Citizens Untied vs. FEC decision in 2010, more rich individuals – and especially big corporations – are pouring those millions into electing conservative candidates.

Prop. 32 would not end this corporate political spending, only the ability of unions to back those candidates they like. What’s fair about that? – Michael-Leonard Creditor, Clairemont

When I worked for a local government agency recently I was required to join a union. While there was a way to work there without being in the union, you would still have to pay an agency fee that was about the same amount, and you couldn’t vote on contracts or be represented. So pretty much everybody joined the union and every year our dues would go up.

The union used this money anyway it wanted to, including supporting politicians and propositions I would never vote for. When I objected and asked where my dues were going and not to use them for political activity, I was told that wasn’t possible. So I am voting for Prop. 32 to put a stop to this. That’s all it’s about. If you’re in a union and they tell you to back someone or something, you can send a donation but at least your not forced to do so, which is how it is now. – Robert T. Hansen, Kensington

The money union officials control and spend really belongs to union members.

The money corporate officials control and spend really belongs to the stockholders.